How Much Is a Tonne of Coal, and How Many Bags? Bag Price (2026)

Short answer: a tonne of coal is priced by type, calorific value and whether you buy by the bag or the tonne; current tonne, bag and per-kg prices are in the live table below. Fixed sum: 1 tonne = 1,000 kg = 40 bags of 25 kg. The tonne price is usually lower than 40 times the bag price.

Current prices and types: Coal prices →

“How much is a tonne of coal?”, “how much is one bag?” and “what does coal cost per tonne?” are among the most common coal searches. We do not type figures into this article: the tables below read prices straight from our product catalogue and change when a price changes. Here we explain what sets the price and how to compare quotes properly.

How many bags are in a tonne of coal?

Most of our heating coals come in 25 kg bags: 1 tonne = 1,000 kg ÷ 25 kg = 40 bags. Our coke-type coal comes in 40 kg sacks, so a tonne is 25 sacks. 25 kg is a common size in the public sector too: the bagging specification of Türkiye’s state hard-coal company TTK requires coal to be bagged at “approximately 25 kg”. For other bag weights and how many bags 2, 3 or 4 tonnes make, see how many kg in a bag of coal.

How much are 40 bags, or 2 tonnes, of coal?

Forty 25 kg bags are exactly a tonne. So “how much are 40 bags?” has two answers: buy the 40 bags one by one and you pay 40 times the bag price; buy a tonne and you pay the tonne price. Two tonnes are 80 bags; by the tonne you pay 2 × the tonne price. To put them side by side, the table below divides the bag price by the bag weight and the tonne price by 1,000 kg and shows the two per-kg prices.

Why is the tonne price not 40 times the bag price?

The tonne price is not the sum of 40 individual bag prices. In a bulk purchase the seller’s handling and transport cost per bag falls, so coal bought by the tonne usually costs less per kilogram than coal bought by the bag. The table shows the difference product by product. The cost of buying by the tonne is storage: you need a dry, covered space raised off the ground. How many tonnes you need is covered in how much coal should I buy, how long does a tonne last.

Including or excluding VAT?

The most common mistake when comparing prices is setting one seller’s price excluding VAT against another’s price including VAT. Every price on our site shows the amount excluding VAT first (“+ VAT”) and, right below it, the VAT-inclusive amount; the VAT-inclusive amount is what you pay. When you get a quote elsewhere, ask “Does this price include VAT?” and compare on the same basis. The VAT rate applied is shown separately on your invoice.

What does it depend on?

• Calorific value: according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, lignite has the lowest energy content of all coal ranks. High-calorie coal costs more per kilo, but you burn less for the same warmth. What to look for is covered in how many calories coal should have.
• Imported or domestic: imported coal prices include freight and the exchange rate. For a comparison see imported or domestic coal.
• Size (grading): screened nut-size coal for stoker boilers is priced differently from walnut-size and large-lump coal for stoves.
• Bag or tonne: the per-kg price usually falls in bulk.
• Delivery: the delivery address and order size set the transport cost.
• Season: why prices change is covered in why coal and firewood prices change.

Is cheap coal really cheap?

If a coal with a low tonne price also has a low calorific value, you will buy more tonnes by the end of the season. The right comparison is what you pay for the same heat: divide each coal’s tonne price by the calorific value on its bag. For example, compare Soma coal (TKİ) with a stated net calorific value of 4,800–5,200 kcal/kg against lump lignite at 3,800–4,500 kcal/kg this way. Compare values on the same basis (dry or as received). How to read a bag is explained in the values on a coal bag.

Under the Regulation on the Control of Solid Fuels for the Protection of Air Quality, published on 16 September 2026, heating coal bags will show the fuel’s Certificate of Conformity and fuel properties or carry a QR code; this provision takes effect on 1 June 2028. “Cheap” coal in a bag without this information is coal of unknown quality. More tips in how to recognise quality coal.

Where can I see current prices?

The table right below the article lists, for our coals priced both by the bag and by the tonne, the bag price, the tonne price and the per-kg price of each. Below that are the starting prices of all heating products, and every option is in our current price list. For bulk purchases you can request a quote on our corporate supply page.

Frequently asked questions

How many bags in a tonne of coal?

40 bags of 25 kg, or 25 sacks of 40 kg.

How many kg is a bag of coal?

25 kg for our heating coals, 40 kg for coke-type coal. More in how many kg in a bag of coal.

How many tonnes are 40 bags of coal?

With 25 kg bags, 40 × 25 = 1,000 kg, or 1 tonne.

Is coal cheaper by the tonne or by the bag?

The per-kg price is usually lower by the tonne; the live table below shows both per-kg prices side by side.

Do prices include VAT?

Our site shows every price both excluding and including VAT; you pay the VAT-inclusive amount.

Sources: Official Gazette of Türkiye, “Regulation on the Control of Solid Fuels for the Protection of Air Quality” (16.09.2026, articles 12 and 21: certificate/QR on bags, in force 1.6.2028); Türkiye Taşkömürü Kurumu (TTK), Armutçuk bagging technical specification (article 4.6: “approximately 25 kg”); U.S. Energy Information Administration, “Coal explained” (energy content of lignite); Turkish Coal Enterprises (TKİ), “Coal Use in Stoves” (domestic lignite in stoves). Product values are from bag statements; bag counts are arithmetic.